How to Say the Words
by tiff098765
Summary: Saying she was sorry was necessary, but it's not enough. She still needs to say she loves him. There are so many ways it could happen. A series of unconnected one-shots with ways she can say the words. MULTI-AUTHOR
1. Chapter 1

_**This will be a multi-author fic. Each chapter is unconnected to the others. These are different ways Kate could finally say ILY for the first time.**_

_Saying she was sorry was necessary, but it's not enough. She still needs to say she loves him. There are so many ways it could happen..._

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Pumpkin spice filled the air of the loft. She was baking. From scratch. Castle had been evicted from the kitchen for his unhelpfulness, but he didn't go any further than the other side of the island to sit on a bar stool.

"I've got an apron here, somewhere, Kate. It'll keep you from getting flour all over your clothes."

"I don't get flour on my clothes, Castle. I'm a neat cook." She gave him a smug look and kneaded the dough. Pie was in the oven, and she was now working on a loaf of bread.

"You don't have to wear anything under it. That would make this more fun to watch." He raised an eyebrow suggestively.

She smiled and halfway rolled her eyes. "No fantasies being fulfilled while I'm baking, Rick."

He grinned. She kneaded. He watched.

Her fingers worked the dough, strong but gentle, forming it into a long, firm roll. She was lost in thought and had no idea she was providing fodder for his fantasies.

"Mom wasn't much of a baker. She enjoyed doing it, but rarely had the time." Her fingers kept kneading while her eyes looked somewhere far away. "But there was just something about the first cool snap of early fall that always put her in the mood. We'd bake pie and bread and take some to neighbors... and sometimes we had to freeze them because we'd made too many."

Her wistful smile and longing sigh held his attention and pulled his heartstrings.

"I got the boot for being in the way a lot when I was little. I wanted to help so much, but I'd get excited and wouldn't follow the recipe or would stir too vigorously and make a mess, and eventually Mom would get frustrated and tell me to sit at the table and color pictures to give to the people along with the pies."

She bit her lip. Her fingers stilled as she sank deeper into the memory. Castle's eyes crinkled with the joy of just listening to her, with his chin propped in his hand and his elbow on the countertop.

Kate breathed a little laugh and looked at the ceiling. "But when it came time to put the top crust on the pies, she'd always call me back into the kitchen. She said the top crust was just as important as the flavor, because it was the first impression. One look at the golden, flaky crust, and a whiff of that glorious smell..." she looked into Rick's eyes and smiled, "that was all it took to let that person know you loved them."

Her eyes danced as she watched for his reaction.

"So... fall baking says 'I love you'?"

"Fall baking says 'I love you'. Come help me bake, Castle."

He slid around the island and wrapped her in his arms and kissed her soundly, slowly, reverently. She melted into him, kissing back with equal adoration. Her forearms draped over his shoulders, flour covered hands in the air behind him.

"I'll make a mess." His lips moved against hers.

"Then wear your apron."

"You'll probably get frustrated with me."

"Probably."

"You're okay with that?" He kissed her again, softly.

"Yeah." She slid her tongue over his bottom lip.

"Why?" His tongue touched hers.

"Because I love you."

She kissed him again, trying to show him just how much, how much she loved him.

"Doesn't that dough have to rise?" His voice was quiet and filled with want.

She was going to bake an apple pie while it rose, but she was quickly abandoning that plan. "Yeah. For a couple of hours."

He hummed against her lips, "Mmm. That sounds perfect."

The oven timer was set so it would turn off automatically when the pumpkin pie was done, so he trailed kisses across the back of her neck and behind her ears while she washed her hands and placed a damp cloth over her dough.

"Say it again," he whispered when she turned back to him.

She smiled broadly, freeing something in her chest, bringing the words easily, "I love you, Castle."

She laced her fingers with his and he whispered, "And you said you weren't going to fulfill my fantasies while you were baking."

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_Please review! I'm addicted to reviews like a pimp is addicted to purple fur coats. _


	2. Chapter 2

**This is a multi-author fic. Each chapter is unconnected to the ones before. These are different ways Kate could finally say ILY for the first time.**

**2**

**by: FreakyC16**

Kate took a deep breath. This was it. It was time. She knew she would have to get it over with eventually and it was now. She didn't remember the last time she was this nervous. Maybe when- no. Never.

She paced back and forth and tapped her fingers nervously on her thigh.

_It can't be that hard_, she told herself over and over as if it would help._ All as I have to do is say a few words, nothing more to it. It will be easy. Simple._

But even her little pep talk in her head wasn't helping.

Someone tapped her on the back and she just about jumped to the ceiling. She turned around to see Espo standing there with a grin on his face, obviously amused with the fact that he made her jump.

"Yo," he said still grinning. "You're up."

Kate took a deep breath and swallowed the thick saliva in her mouth. She straightened up her posture and walked into Gate's office.

Castle sat at Kate's old desk and he hoped she would get it back. He was nervous for her, but there was no doubt in his mind that she wouldn't get her job back. It had been three months, the time of what would have been her suspension if she wouldn't have resigned.

He anxiously fiddled with paper clips as he watched Kate talk, give her speech that she practiced in the mirror several times before coming here to perform it for real.

It felt like forever to Castle, and he was sure it felt longer for Kate. God, he felt sorry for her. He wished that she never resigned in the first place, so then she wouldn't have went through all this stress and trouble. And plus, all this stress and trouble didn't really help with the bedroom matters. He decided that he was going to take Kate on a fancy night out to an exquisite restaurant and then whatever she wanted. She needed it. Maybe even a trip somewhere.

_Stop_, he told himself. He was thinking like she wasn't going to get the job back, and he knew she was. She better, or he was going to have a little chit-chat with the mayor. Castle would have done that in the beginning, if Kate would have allowed it. But since she wanted to do it "the right way" he had to slip his cell phone back in his pocket and pretend that he wasn't itching for his cell phone every time he heard her sigh in frustration.

He drummed his fingers on the desk sighing loudly; he looked at Kate's poker face through the glass of Gate's office window. He couldn't tell if she was being praised or scolded, her face was that was that good. Killer in a real game of poker.

Finally, Kate stood up and nodded to Gates. She turned around and walked out the door shutting it softly behind her.

Castle stood up to anxious to find out the results.

"So?" Castle asked.

"She wasn't happy with me, that's for sure." Kate looked up at Castle with something dancing in her eye. He couldn't tell what it was. It wasn't rejection, nor was it acceptance.

"What is it?" Castle asked.

"I love you." Her smile widened. "Castle, if you weren't there for me, pushing me along, helping me, I don't know where I would have been at this time. You showed me where I want to be and who I am. And I don't know how I can ever say thank you enough, but I love you. And I'm sorry it took me this long to say it. But I do."

Castle wasn't expecting that. He was either expecting an "I'm back," or a simple no and maybe a tear, but not an "I love you."

Castle took a step forward but didn't have to go very far, because Kate met him in that instant. There lips meeting simultaneously in a soft, passionate kiss.

"Trust me," Castle spoke softly, "Your 'Thank yous' are covered for a lifetime and a half."

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_Please review! FreakyC16 wrote this chapter. She's is a 16 year old, and this is one of her first stories!_


	3. Chapter 3

******This is a multi-author fic. Each chapter is unconnected to the ones before. These are different ways Kate could finally say ILY for the first time.**

**3**

**By: tiff098765**

Kate's shoulders slump and her head hangs. She pads to Castle's door with her shoes in her hand to show mercy to her aching feet. Her new key is in her hand, given to her so she can come and go as she pleases. She lets out a sigh and rolls her head from side to side.

She had talked to him earlier, telling him what a thoroughly crappy day it had been, and that she didn't think she'd make it over to his place tonight. She was going to go home and crash so he wouldn't wait up for her.

She had her suspect in the box, the cocky ass who she knew was guilty. She was determined to break him. It nearly broke her. She is grumpy, she is exhausted, and she wants nothing more than to quietly slip into Rick's bed and snuggle up to his strong (likely snoring) body. To feel secure. To be reminded that there is goodness in this world. That there is love.

As quietly as she can, she turns her key in the lock and gently sits her shoes and bag by the door. But she hears voices. Alexis sounds frustrated.

Damn, she forgot Alexis would be home this weekend. Maybe she should go.

"But, Dad, it's been since spring. What are you waiting for?"

They are in the study. Kate stands at the cracked front door, trying to decide whether to stay or go.

"For her. It'll happen when she's - when _we're_ ready."

"Of course she's ready. What are you afraid of?"

"Lex, she'll let me know when she's all in this."

_What?_ _No. He thinks I'm not all in?_

"Daddy, she's all in. You love her, she loves you. What's th-"

_What's the problem? Why'd Lex stop talking?_

"Daddy?"

_Why isn't he answering? He knows I love him. He... he said he loves me. Has that changed?_

She hears Alexis's breathy laugh. "Dad. She loves you. It's in everything she does. Just because she doesn't say it doesn't mean it's not true."

He sighs. "Yeah… well…"

_Oh, hell. Oh, no. But… but he knows. Just like Lex knows. He knows I love him, right?_

Kate swallows. She knows what she has to do. Or say.

She drops her keys so they jangle; closes the door loud enough for them to hear. "Castle?" she calls, so they don't wonder who just walked in.

The two Castles emerge from the study, Alexis wearing a smile and Rick looking confused. Kate crosses the family room to them and touches Alexis's arm.

"Hey, Lex. Can I borrow your dad for just a minute? I've um, had a terrible day, and…" she leans into Rick, "and I could use a hug."

His arms wrap around her as she melts against him.

Alexis smiles and turns toward the kitchen, saying, "He gives the best hugs in New York."

"Mmm." She clings to him. A lump rises in her throat, threatening to force tears to her eyes for assuming he knew, for letting him be unconvinced.

"You okay?" he asks into her hair.

"Am now." Her voice is muffled against his shirt.

"I thought you weren't coming over." He gently strokes her back with one hand and holds her to him with the other.

"I wasn't. I didn't want to bother you so late."

"You're never a bother." He kisses her head.

She holds him tighter and tries to swallow the lump.

"What changed your mind?" His words are gentle at her ear.

"I just… I needed to be held by the man I love."

His hands still for a few heartbeats, then he pulls her so tight against him her feet lift off the ground.

His deep inhale stutters as it sinks in. She said it.

She looks past his shoulder into the kitchen to lock eyes with Alexis. The girl is grinning and gives Kate a quick nod of approval, maybe appreciation.

Castle relaxes his embrace so Kate's feet can touch the floor. She pulls back just enough to caress his cheek and look into his eyes.

"I love you, you know." She smiles and hopes it all pours out of her, from her words, her eyes, her soul. "So much."

He kisses her softly and mumbles something into her mouth. Either, "Love you," or "Thank you," she can't tell, but she knows he means both. She owed him those words a long time ago.

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_Please review! They're addictive like cold watermelon on a hot day._


	4. Chapter 4

**This is a multi-author fic. Each chapter is unrelated to the ones before. These are different ways Kate could finally say ILY for the first time.**

**4**

**By: RGoodfellow64**

Her eyes fluttered and then opened. She knew exactly where she was even though the room was still dark. Because the room was dark, with heavy drapes covering the windows, the little crack of light from under the master bath door seemed brighter than it should.

Her mind immediately active she took stock of where she was…in his bed, his arm still around her, his legs and torso tight against her. Not only could she feel him all around her, his scent seemed to fill the air and she couldn't take a deep enough breath to capture it all.

There was something different about this awakening, something unlike any she could remember. It wasn't just Castle, it was more than that. Something was different in her and she went over the last 24 hours trying to determine what it was.

Step by step, moment by moment she went through her day, cringing inside from some of the things she said and did, but she faced them anyway; faced them, weighed them and then set them aside for another time. She quickly went through each scene till she came to his door last night. Here she stopped, her mouth started to tingle again from those amazing kisses, the way he held her and…

And last night there was no sex. He knew what she needed and he gave it to her, she knew what he needed and she gave it to him. This was a closeness, an intimacy that she'd never experienced before. She needed to be held, she needed to be loved, she needed to know, not just with words, but deep inside, that she truly deserved to be loved, because being honest with herself that is what held her back from Castle for all this time. She didn't feel she deserved him or his love.

Last night there were kisses, there were caresses and there were tears, but over all of that was love, his love for her, making her feel safe, secure, treasured. She accepted that. She grabbed at it as a drowning woman would a life preserver.

Her hand was on his, and his was between her breasts, covering the scar where the bullet entered last year, and for the first time since the shooting, she didn't feel the pain. He drew that out of her more easily than Josh's team drew out the bullet itself.

The pain, the anger, the anguish, the feelings of failure, they were all gone. There was only warmth. Warmth where she could barely remember it ever being before. Long, long ago when her mother was still alive.

Still lying on her side, she bent her head down, lifted his hand to her lips and kissed it. A gentle kiss, but all the more powerful because of it.

She felt the breath of his sigh on the back of her neck, then the feeling of his lips as he kissed her. She smiled as he said with a sleepy voice, "You're thinking too hard."

Her smile bloomed and she slowly turned over till she faced him, her eyes seeking his and she found herself contemplating seeing them the first thing every morning for the rest of her life…and that was when she knew what was different. She was in love with him. She'd known it for a long time now, before Josh, before Gina, before Tom… she knew it the moment he broke down her door to save her, but was afraid to admit it.

His hand was gently rubbing her back, and she luxuriated in the feeling of simply being with him and nuzzled her face to his neck as they snuggled together.

She was wearing his tee shirt, much too big for comfort but she never liked sleeping in the nude, so when he brought her to bed, only to sleep, this was all he had for her. She was happy with it now as it allowed his hands to move freely over her back, relaxing her and stimulating her at the same time.

She pulled back her head and gazed into the blue, the gorgeous blue of his eyes, and almost melted at what she saw. They were soft, softer than she'd ever seen and his love for her was pouring out; she'd never seen that look in a man's eyes before, but realized she'd been seeing it in his for a long time.

She kissed him. At first they were small, slow kisses, but as their passion grew they became more heated, more intense, more demanding and something different for her, more giving.

All her life sex was something to take, by taking she never had to give too much of herself, she could hold most if not all of herself away, keeping safe, keeping secure, keeping lonely close to hand. But here in his arms she was experiencing something different, something she'd never experienced before. She wasn't taking from Castle anymore. She wasn't just taking his affection, his caring, his love…she was also giving.

For the first time in her life, she wanted to give. To give herself to a man. Not any man, but this man. _Her_man. Their kisses…her kisses, became more passionate and their hands were caressing each other till she felt she would burst with joy.

She pulled back from kissing him and looked into his eyes, trying to show him with hers just how much he meant to her. She once flippantly told him that she was a 'one and done kind of girl' and she realized how true those words were. He was hers. He was hers and she was his.

She was his! As this realization hit her, she smiled, and when he smiled back, she leaned in to give him a kiss. With her lips still on his she softly said, "I love you, Rick. I love you oh so very much."

The moment she spoke those words, she knew how right they were.

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_Please review! RGoodfellow64 wrote this one for you. Check out his other stories, too!_


	5. Chapter 5

Rick Castle sat with Kate in the waiting room at urgent care. He could tell she wasn't comfortable sitting there by the way she fidgeted in her seat and looked around nervously.

"Why did I let you talk me into this," Kate said with a pout, "There are so many other places I would rather be with you."

Rick threw her a very concerned look, and replied, "Because I saw all of those bruises, and I'm afraid you might be seriously hurt." He took her uninjured left hand in his own and gave it a reassuring squeeze "You could barely stand upright when we got up this morning, or have you forgotten that I found you collapsed in the bathroom in the middle of the night."

"But I don't have a job anymore," she said, on the verge of tears, "I don't even have insurance!"

"You let me worry about that," Rick said, "I just want to make sure you're OK, that you don't have cracked ribs, or something worse, Maddox really did a number on you. Hanging off the side of a building by your fingernails and being hauled up by one arm couldn't have helped things, either."

"Okay," she said quietly, as he wrapped his arm around her, and she snuggled in as tight as she could in the hospital seating.

"I love you, Kate, please for once just let me take care of you." He said and planted a kiss on her temple.

"I love you too, Rick" she said quietly, "Always."

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_Please review! This chapter was written by Shutterbug5269._


	6. Chapter 6

**by java:**

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_**Season 5 cliffhanger...**_

He had the drop on her. Again.

"Look, nobody has to die tonight. I'm done. I quit." Kate tosses her gun, thinking about the backup under her left arm. It might as well be locked in the car.

"Not my call, detective." Maddox, a gun in each hand, one on her, the other on Castle who was tied to a chair, moves to where Beckett could see him. She looks at Castle. His face says it all, "Kate, we're not going to win this."

"I don't care anymore." The room is quiet. The silence energizes her. With all her might, she wills her love across the darkness. "Just let us go. Please. I'll never go back. I swear it. You won't hear from us. Ever." Detective Kate Beckett, speaker for the dead, is about to die.

"You had your chance on the rooftop. You came ba..."

"Let him go!" The room echoes with her demand. "You have me. He's not a part of this," Kate whispers, the loving smile returns to her lover.

"Again, not my call. He knows too much. He has the resources to continue long after you're gone. But tonight, there will be no loose ends left." Maddox walks behind Castle and pulls the gag off. "As a professional courtesy, you may say goodbye."

"I love you, Rick."

"Always."

_Bam! Bam!_

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_Please review! In intense one from java, huh?_


	7. Chapter 7

**by kurlyuu1:**

_"I love you" _was never an easy thing to say for Kate Beckett. 13 years of having her soul in "Lock Down" had left her tired and empty and her relationships reflected that. She knew that it had taken a single sniper's bullet to end her old life and help to begin the new one she was evolving into. It was only now that she was finally coming out of her shell, thanks in part to her determination to change, Dr. Burke, and Castle.

Smith had the files and Maddox was behind bars, so Rick and Kate decided to take some time off from everything. She wasn't officially back yet to work, so they made the most of it.

It had been a couple of weeks since the first time they had made love and although the wonderful lovemaking continued on a steady basis, still, there was no "I love you." She laughed, she played, she was spellbound, she was glowing and everyone saw it. _She just couldn't say the words yet._

Castle was understanding and took her _"I am so sorry "_as an untold expression of how she felt. She was in therapy, she was breaking down barriers and she clung to him like glue. He had no choice. Her actions had spoken way past words. The magic was so unbelievable in bed that he would have waited forever. He had learned the value of patience and so he was eagerly awaiting the next chapter to unfold.

Besides, he was having the time of his life. She was the woman of his dreams. The one he had waited for all his life. They didn't rush into this, it was four years in the making and it was so satisfying to realize that that the dream had become a reality. They were best friends and lovers and were dating and they were talking. They were talking about everything. She was waiting for her suspension to lift, so they spent quality time together.

Tonight they were going to the Angelico for movie night. Rick just wanted to stay home and snuggle on the couch and eat in and watch an old classic, but Kate was all fired up about seeing the 1967 version of "Casino Royale". It was a spoof on the man Castle admired, the infamous 007. It starred David Niven, Peter Sellers, Ursela Andres and a young Woody Allen and it was brilliantly comical. The place was howling.

Rick was playing throughout, as he walked his fingers over to Kate to grab her hand. As they landed on their target a resounding hand slap, a grab and throw back to no man's land occurred. She giggled as her eyes looked directly at the big screen. _"Game On"_, thought Castle. The little boy was in the house. Again he gleefully let his fingers do the walking and again, the hand slap and the throw back and again the giggles. Again he tried and again, he was denied access. She was beginning to fold a little, so he gave it one more try.

The ending features Woody Allen as James Bond's nephew Jimmy Bond, a bad guy, who by mistake swallows his patented "burp bomb" and as he counts burps down to his demise. The audience completely fell apart amidst all the confusion and hilarity leading up to the destruction of the legendary Casino and a reunion in heaven for Niven and all the Bonds and the decent of Jimmy into Hell. It is classic and raucous.

And in the middle of people rolling in the isles and mass hysteria, in that pitch-dark movie theater, something wonderful happened. Kate grabbed his hand and leaned toward Rick as she tilted her head and stared. Rick thought he was in big trouble, but instead, Kate noticed that Castle had begun to shine. She saw the light in his eyes. Kate felt the warmth of his playful touch and more importantly, she realized that his smile had been hiding in hers ever since they met. It always had been there.

As she grinned from ear to ear…she looked at Castle. Everything was all still and calm, and even though there was unbelievable laughter throughout the movie theater as Jimmy exploded, it was deafly quiet and there were only two people in the room and they were looking at each other. Clarity had emerged from Chaos. She was at total peace with herself. The wall was now an afterthought. It was a non-factor. Kate continued to stare at Castle as their eyes danced together and Rick leaned in toward her and tilted his head ever so slightly in and to the right.  
_"Kate"_ he, asked quizzically, _"What's up?"_

She was lost somewhere between Always and Forever. It's that unique place where lovers go to find the courage to make the ultimate sacrifice of surrender. Total and complete. No turning back. Playfully revealing your secrets and falling deeper into the quicksand with each beat of your heart. For here, there is no escape, only free fall. Your dreams become his and your hopes become that guiding light that lead you to what comes next.

She spoke in a whisper, but her smile amplified her voice and Castle could hear every word she said.

_"I love You Rick" _Four years in the making, probably rehearsed a couple of times along the way, and almost assuredly, never intended to hit the mark after all the ups and downs they had been through. This was not Sorenson, Demming or Josh. This was her true love, her best friend, and her soul mate. She never would have admitted it to any one anyone except him. She was sorry for so much, but not for loving this man.

He changed, she changed, they merged, and they were in love. It took her while to finally admit it, but as Castle thought, _"This is so cool... She is really saying this." _And before he could answer her, she kept going….

_"I love you so much... You have no idea" _(Deep breathes, sigh, serious gaze and then tears and a warm smile)_ "I just love you." _Their lives had come full circle from the day they first met.

With that, Castle brought her hand up to his lips and gave it a long, adoring kiss and then making sure his eyes never left hers, he slowly pulled it away with a fading pop. She held tight and leaned in and the two kissed and she snuggled up against him as he draped his arm around his shoulder. He was excited. He thought to himself, _"I didn't even have to yawn"_ Oh that little boy. Oh that little girl. The lights were on, the movie was over. What movie?

_"You want to hit Remy's?" _Castle said as he took his arm off her and she slid off his chest.

_"Sounds good Castle. Maybe then we can come back and catch the midnight show to see the ending. I hear it's quite good." _

_"So you love me, huh Beckett?" _

_"That depends Castle…You buying?"_

With that, Rick said the only thing he could say, _"Women!"_

* * *

_Please review! Kman wrote this one!_


	8. Chapter 8

**by tiff098765:**

* * *

The suspect was exactly where they thought he would be. He was easy to find, and there was plenty of evidence stacked against him. He was out of options. So when Esposito banged on his door and Beckett yelled, "NYPD! Open up!" he took a purely desperate action: he took a hostage.

They heard her scream and begin to cry while he shouted, "Back off! Let me go, or I _swear_I will kill her!"

She sounded young, maybe 10 or 11 years old.

Ryan and Esposito backed off to check out other entry points to attempt a breach unseen.

"I'm holstering my weapon now. Let's just talk." Beckett's voice carried easily through the cheap, hollow door. She sounded confident, but, when her eyes flicked to Castle, he could see panic in them.

Other cop cars began pulling up - the boys called in the hostage situation - and she knew it was only a matter of time before the crisis negotiator arrived and took over.

"Look, Chris," no more last names, she has to connect personally, "I know it feels like you're all out of options. But this will make it worse. This will make it all so much worse. But you can make it better. You can choose to let the girl go, and it will only get better."

A crowd began to form behind the police cars, but one lady tried to push through the uniforms securing the perimeter. Beckett could hear her sobbing pleas from where they held her. _"Chris, please, don't do this. Please. Just turn yourself in. I love you. Baby, I love you."_

Beckett looked back to see the hostage taker's wife, whom they had interviewed the day before.

"Chris, let's make it better. Let the girl come out. Let's end this."  
Beckett held her breath, fearing she'd just said the wrong thing. "End this" could have several meanings.

Castle touched her shoulder in support, still at her back.

SWAT was circling the house, and the negotiator was the same one from the bank robbery. He held up a handwritten sign: _Do you have primary? _She gave a thumbs up - she would be primary negotiator, understanding that if she started to lose him, she would hand off to the negotiator as a secondary.

"Chris? I know you can hear me. How's it goin' in there?"

Finally, her suspect answered. "If I let her go, what's to stop y'all from coming in here and killin' me?"

"We don't want anyone to die today, Chris."

_"I'd rather die than go to jail!"_

Beckett looked around and saw Chris's wife weeping by the SWAT van.

"Look, I know you're scared, but your wife's here. Think about her. I know she loves you. She was shouting it just a minute ago. She said it yesterday when we talked."

No answer.

"I know you love her. I can tell." Kate looked at Rick, instead of at the locked door.

"I know you love her, and she loves you. And if you do this, and you hurt someone else, or you get yourself killed, what's that going to do to her, huh? That's going to rip her heart out. You don't get to do that to her, Chris. Sometimes, you've got to swallow down your fear and do something scary to protect the one you love. I know all about that, Chris. Come on out."

She paused, and Castle searched her eyes. Yeah, he was reading the subtext right. That was why she quit her job, though she'd never really explained it in words.

"Come on, Chris. Come on out so you can say it again. I know it feels difficult. But come out so you can tell her. Don't make her have to watch medics wheel you out on a gurney. No one should have to see that, Chris. Especially not with someone you love. Come out and say it, Chris. 'I love you.' It's not as hard as you think. No guns, no life-or-death situation. You can figure out tomorrow when it comes. Just come out and make the right choice today."

She waited again. Nothing. "Chris?"

"Okay... Okay, I'm coming out."

"Good. That's good, Chris."

The lock slid and the little girl timidly stepped out then ran to the SWAT member coming to gather her up. Then Chris stepped out, empty hands held high. He looked at Beckett, already pulling her cuffs out, then looked past to his wife. "I'm sorry, baby. I love you."

SWAT pushed him into a squad car while the negotiator nodded at Beckett in approval. "You might have missed your calling. You seem to have a knack for this."

"Thanks," she said with only half her heart.

She was already searching for Castle and found him catching up with Ryan and Esposito. "Hey. Got a sec?"

As if he had something else to do.

"Yeah." He draped his arm over her shoulders to lead her out of the crowd. "You okay?"

"I... I'm okay. But I wanted to make sure you knew... I meant all of that. I'm trying to be safe, for you, for us." Her mouth twisted as she searched for the right words. "So you don't -" she huffed a frustrated sigh, then "I love you."

Yeah. Those. They're the right words.

"I love you, Castle."

He smiled sweetly and glanced around to make sure they weren't being watched, tipped her chin up, and kissed her softly.

"I know you do," he whispered. "I love you, too."

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_Please review! I love reviews like I love chocolate covered espresso beans! Mmm mmm mmm, so good!_


	9. Chapter 9

**By kismet_18**

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Rick and Kate lie in bed, sated and happy. It's late at night, his eyes are closed, his breathing calm; she is laying her head and hand on his chest, smiling away not able to fall asleep. She looks around his room while she gently strokes his chest. She thinks he is sleeping so she feels safe to whisper a quiet, "I love you."

To her surprise, he is not sleeping and asks her to repeat what she just said. She is startled, props herself up with one arm and looks at him with shock.

"I thought you were sleeping!" she replies, stunned.

He smiles, but he is not letting this one go; he repeats, "Kate, what did you just say?"

She quickly moves and lays by his side, on her back, staring at the ceiling, eyes wide open. "Nothing, good night."

He moves over her, gently pinning her down, and looks at her directly in the eyes to ask again "Kate, what are you afraid of?"

"Nothing, go back to sleep."

"Katherine Beckett, repeat what you just said and look at me in the eyes when you do!"

She looks at him and realizes she is cornered, his beautiful eyes reading her as usual, she feels naked; she knows she has nowhere to go; she knows she owes it to him. She is frustrated - she wants to say it, but she is afraid it won't sound as meaningful as she intends to. She looks away, scared.

He repeats her name gently, "Kate…"

She looks away and whispers "I said I love you". The admission makes her blush.

"Kate, look at me."

She turns to looks at him straight in the eyes, smiles nervously.

"I love you Richard Castle," she says, confidently this time, and reaches up with both hands and kisses him.

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Show kismet_18 some love for their first shot at a fanfic, and leave a review!


	10. Chapter 10

**by BassLab1:**

NOOOO! She's going to fall!

She's hanging on the ledge of a building 20 stories above a lonely, empty, alley and she's going to fall!

"Castle" she whispers as she looks down. Her toes desperately trying to find a hold on the side of the building.

"Not like this, not like my mother" is what she thinks. Dying alone in an alley with no one knowing where she is...

Castle not knowing where she is. Her right hand slips off the ledge and she screams, "Castle!"

But he's not with her, he's given up on her. And rightfully so. She can see it so clearly now.

"Beckett!" He's here! He came for her!

"Castle! I'm here! Castle!" But , he's too late! Her left hand slips just as hands appear over the side of the building and he misses! She's falling, her hands flailing, trying to grab hold before she slams into the ground...

"Kate! Baby, wake up!" her eyes open slowly through the haze and tears. Fear still gripping her. What she sees is the most beautiful blue she has ever seen. Not the sky, but _Rick's eyes_. He's cradling her with his hands behind her head, their bare chests touching.

"I've got you, Kate. I won't ever let you go again." Through the pain she feels from the events of the previous night's fight with Maddox, she lifts a hand to Rick's cheek.

"I need to say this Cas...Rick, I love you. I love you so much and I'll never let you go again, either." Castle gently kisses the tears from her cheeks and rocks her back to sleep, where her dreams are of white dresses and little Castle babies.

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Please review! BassLab is new at the fanfic & would love to know what you thought.


	11. Chapter 11

**By mamoo999**

Kate took Castle's hand and led him from the front door toward his bedroom. Four years of waiting and tonight was the night, all of the missed opportunities were over. Tonight was their night. Kate could feel the heat radiating between them. She wanted him. No, she_ needed_ him. She was burning with desire to feel his hands, his tongue exploring every inch of her body. She looked at him and smiled…she was anticipating all of the ways she would love him.

He wanted her, never had he experienced such wanting, longing, he had waited so long, and she was here…. She came to him! He stopped closed his eyes summoning the courage to ask the question he had to have answered. He opened his eyes, held her hands to his chest looked into her eyes. "Kate I have to know. Why? Why now?"

She took her hand and put her finger on his lips, looked into his eyes and said, "Because I love you, Castle."

He pulled her into his arms, his voice a husky whisper; "Always?" he asked. And she replied with a choked sob "Always."

He scooped her into his arms and carried her into his bedroom. They would fulfill needs in each other neither knew they had. The partnership formed tonight would be strong, unbreakable, always.

Xxx

Show mamoo some love and leave a review!


	12. Chapter 12

**By fantasynovelreader:**

She dozed, listening to the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat and the light taps of computer keys, a smile hovering on the corner of her lips. Warmth surrounded her, cocooned her, kept her safe and sedated within his arms. She snuggled closer, pulling her legs fully into his lap, feeling the weight of his laptop adjust to the top of her claves, pressing the silken sheets into her skin. She heard him softly snap his computer closed and felt him shift it off to the side. His arms wrapped around her holding her softly to his chest as he pressed gentle kisses to the top of her head.

"I love you, too," Kate stated simply, the words she had felt for so long finally weaving their way to the surface in a plain simple truth. She felt him place one final kiss to her hair before shifting to face her eye for eye, the light behind his gaze warmed her heart even as his smile filled her soul. Castle placed a hand gently under her jaw and leaned down to kiss her tenderly, the press of his lips a quiet reminder of his own love. He pulled back and kissed the tip of her nose before, drawing her into a strong hug.

She buried her face in his neck, smiling against his skin as he cradled her head, murmuring his love into her ear.

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Don't forget to review!


	13. Chapter 13

**By MadeInBritain:**

Rick sat up in bed, looking at the beautiful frame of the slender woman beside him. Her hair was tussled and cascaded around her lovely face, and time stood still for him, right there, right then. He was remembering how many times he had looked on that face, and desired so much to touch and kiss those lips. Now he had touched and tasted, until his years of desire were satiated with the joy and sweetness of it.

He had been reluctant to believe Kate, when he opened the door last night, and she stood before him dripping wet and dropping tears. Yet he knew from the moment she said she wanted him, and wrapped herself around him, whispering apologies in between caressing kisses, that resistance was futile.

Kate aroused in him in those moments, a rush of blood to the head, that caused him to throw all caution to the wind. He could not withhold from her, or from himself, the fulfillment of their long held burning desire to ravage one another.

It had not been a night of some quick, cheap gratification taking place, it had been more a union of body and soul, of immense proportion, and to him a love unsurpassed. He had never known a love like this, and didn't know it existed, but he understood now the world's great love stories, that he had only read about. Rick knew now, as the men in those stories knew, how a man could love a woman from a deep well of desire, that never will run dry, and a cauldron of everlasting passion, where each look and touch was afire.

Rick was assured that from now on, he could never lose Kate, and he felt that she had convinced him through the night that she felt the same. They were knit together forever. He knew she hadn't said the I love you, but he also knew that she did love him. No woman ever convinced a man that she loved him with every part of her being, as Kate had done that night, yet without saying a word. Kate had shown him her love, in a depth of giving and cherishing, that was proof positive he had her heart and her all. There was no need for words after what she had given to him through the long hours of the night.

As Kate stirred, Rick's heart was all a flutter. She awoke to Rick watching over her, and she smiled that Beckett smile which always hit its mark with him. He hadn't needed to bring her coffee to win that smile this morning, because here she was, relaxed and grinning, beaming up at him in fact.

"What happened last night, Rick?"

"We fell in love, Kate!"

"I don't think we fell in love last night Rick, I think we realised just how much we have been in love ever since we first met."

"Mmmm," he groaned, "It's lunch time already Kate, should I prepare something?"

"Brunch, Rick... but I will take dessert now, unless I energy-sapped you last night?"

Rick answered her blissfully, "Well, its the best energy sapping exercise I ever had, and if I am your one and done, I want you to know I changed my mind about getting hitched,so shall we?"

Kate laughed, "What, right now?"

"Yes right now, I want you to get that, Rick replied.

"Well you know what, you are going to get dessert right now."

"Oh yeah," he replied.

"Yeah, and while we are thinking about it, I just want you to remember the time I said we would get together without the tiger, but you failed to tell me Rick, that YOU ARE THE TIGER."

Rick reached over and kissed her gently, teasing her and saying, "Now,wasn't that kiss more lamb like than tigerish? I may have knawed you a bit last night, but I didn't give you any scratch marks."

Kate giggled! Then Rick, reluctant to let her off the hook regarding their future life together, asked again "So, do I get an answer, are we going to get hitched?"

Kate took his face in her hands so lovingly, and said, "What do you think last night was all about? Rick I already hitched my wagon with you, I'm yours lock, stock and barrel."

"I know," he replied, "but I was just testing you to hear you say it."

"Listen to me Rick, you don't have to put a ring on my finger, walk me down some aisle, with organ and harps plentifully playing. You made your oaths to me last night, promising to always love and cherish me, to adore and be there for me, that you will never leave or forsake me I am convinced of. I want you to be as convinced of me, that the vows I made to you last night were abiding and real, and I meant them and still do."

"Kate, what I have found with you, is so far removed from my past life of bimbo-ism and signing women's breasts, and from all the past relationships I ever had, or indulged in. I could never desire another woman after what we have become."

"I know Rick, people search for what we have found all their lives and never find it. I just hope life doesn't turn on us and rob us of it all. Happiness is often a commodity short lived. Life's tragedy has a habit of coming when you least expect it to bite you on the arse."

"Kate I know your life has had much pain and sorrow thrown at it, but we have something so unique and real, so maybe life is smiling on you at last, and we will share it together forever."

"Rick, I will settle for having you continue to smile at me every morning as I wake up next to you. Nothing could be more beautiful than sharing all we have to give and live for together."

Rick started to cry, and let his tears of love fall all over Kate's cheeks, "please my love, my one and done, don't ever leave me, I can't be without you now."

Gently wiping his tears from his eyes with her fingers, Kate spoke like an angel, "Rick that is never going to happen, I could no more leave you voluntarily, than a doting mother could ever willingly desert her cubs."

Rick found himself overwhelmed by the magic of her words, said with such love and candidness, and he wept again. "You are going to get that ring Kate, the walk down the aisle, and organ and harps playing plentifully. Not to convince you of my love, or me of your love, but because you deserve that special day, and so do I."

Kate said "Thank you, and be it as you wish Rick, but for now can we please just get on with dessert, and all that scrumptiousness? I want last night to happen all over again."

"Your wish is my command" Rick said, "so with no further delay, this tiger is ready to play."

Kate smiled at him, her eyes twinkling, then prompted him with her muttering, "well action speaks louder than words, so just get on with it Rick, let the fun begin."

"ALWAYS" Rick said! So the bliss of the night before began for them all over again.

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Please review for MadeInBritain. This is her first try "playing" with fanfic!

(See how I'm luring in people to try to write for the first time ever? They're voluntarily doing it! I should be a teacher or something!)


	14. Chapter 14

**by sarahlovesA (aka stroppy):**

Kate had that strange sensation of not quite being in her own body, as she looked around Castle's living room. She was sitting on the sofa, in a pair of overlarge sweat pants and one of Castle's t-shirts, legs curled under her, a glass of sinfully good Shiraz in her hand. In the oversized armchair next to her, Alexis was wrapped around a fluffy cushion, wearing pjs. In front of them, projected onto the wall, was an image of the Millennium Falcon. They had paused in the middle of their Star Wars marathon, because their pizza had arrived and Castle was at the door, paying for it.

It was all so domesticated, so cosy. She and Castle had been, well, 'together', for several weeks, but she still found this kind of situation slightly surreal; wonderful and yet a little bit frightening. This thing between them was completely blissful and terrifyingly unfamiliar. None of her previous relationships had been remotely like this. She had always maintained a certain distance from the other men in her life. Castle had blithely ignored those boundaries, and disturbed her carefully preserved independence. She loved that about him, and yet she wasn't quite ready to dive in all the way.

He was trying so hard not to mind that she had not yet said those three little words back to him, she knew that. But she felt like that was the last bit of control she had left. Once she said it, there would be no going back. And, as much as she adored Richard Castle, the old insecurities lingered on, just the tiniest bit. The words had been clogging her throat for a while now, but, somehow, she couldn't get them past her lips. She knew this upset him, and she despised herself for it.

And, here she was, with the Castles, watching movies. She realised that it was the first movie night the three of them had spent together, for a very long time. For weeks, the teenager had been avoiding spending too much time with the two of them, unsure as she was of Kate's true feelings, and that had made Kate feel bad and caused no small amount of friction.

"Here we are! Turn it back on again!'

Castle, his hands full of two very large pizza boxes, came bounding over to them. Kate took a sip of her wine, to try to hide the foolish, love-struck smile she knew had appeared on her face when she saw him, his eyes sparkling, his face a picture of boyish enthusiasm, his hair falling over his forehead. Only Richard Castle could make pizza such an event.

After putting the boxes on the coffee table, he sat down next to her, closer to Kate than was really necessary; but she wasn't complaining.

Alexis pulled herself forward to open the boxes. She lifted the lid of one, and put it aside. When she had opened the second one, she turned to her father in confusion.

"Dad, I think they've made a mistake."

"Why, honey? I used Gio's and they're always great."

"Well, where's your pizza? I mean, I know you don't want my goat's cheese and spinach one."

Castle scrunched his face up in disgust. "Ew, no, thank you! Pizza shouldn't taste of old socks! But Kate and I can share the other one and she can have some of yours. She shares your enjoyment of smelly feet flavour, for some inexplicable reason!"

Alexis gave him an eye-roll worthy of Kate Beckett, but continued, "But you won't eat the other one; it's got olives on. They know we never have olives!"

Castle went slightly pink and started to talk a little too fast. "What do you mean? Of course, we have olives, or, at least, I have them, sometimes, when I feel like it, which is not all the time, but, once in a while, when I really want some salty….."

Kate's voice, somewhat puzzled, interrupted his jabbering. "Castle, we've had pizza at the 12th, or at my place, dozens of times. We always have olives."

She turned to Alexis, "Don't you like them? I'm so sorry, I don't mind if they get missed off at all. Next time…"

This time it was Alexis doing the interrupting. "No! I mean, I love olives, but it's Dad. He hates them. Always has. He says they contaminate the taste of whatever they are with."

Alexis and Kate turned to look at the writer, seeking an explanation.

Two pairs of piercing eyes, blue and hazel, were now gazing at him in bewilderment and a certain amount of suspicion. Castle felt like the room had suddenly got hotter. How could he explain his way out of this one?

"Castle, what's this all about?" "Dad, this is weird. Why would you tell me you hate olives and yet eat them with Kate?" Both women spoke at once, and, for once, he wished he had less formidable females in his life. These two were scary.

"Um, I, well, you see….." Nope, he had nothing.

"Oh, my god!" Alexis exclaimed, her face alight with dawning realisation; this turned into glee and something else that looked like affection.

She turned towards Kate. "I bet, the first time you had pizza with him, you told him you loved olives, and, every time you get pizza, he asks for extra olives!"

"Well, yes, he says he's as big an addict as I am. We even fight over the…." Kate's voice petered out. She turned her body so she could look him directly in the face.

"Castle, have you been eating olives for FOUR years, even though you hate them, just because you know I love them?"

"Well, you don't eat often enough, so I like getting you something you actually enjoy, and I can put up with them, they aren't so bad, I am kind of getting used to the taste, and…." He stopped, out of words, for once.

Kate's eyes were huge in her face, and shiny with what looked like tears. But why would she be crying? Was she mad at him for lying to her about the damn olives?

She sat there for a long minute, a range of emotions passing over her face, making it hard for him to get a read on what she was thinking.

As for Kate, she felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. This man. This ridiculous, childish, beautiful man. Who always had her back, whether it was trying to take a bullet for her, or choking down hundreds of olives, even though he hated the taste. A man who had been putting her first, even when she hadn't known it, all these years.

What was she doing? What was she waiting for? What was she worried about?

All at once, she had never felt so sure of anything in her life.

She laughed, suddenly, disconcerting the man in front of her, who gave a slight start at the sound. A tear spilled over her eyelid and ran unheeded down her cheek, but she did not look unhappy. She gave him that wide, toothy, heart-stopping grin that he loved so much.

"You are a complete idiot. And I love you, Richard Castle. God, I love you. I love you, I love you." The words came pouring out of her, a flood of emotions that she was not sure she could ever stop. It seemed so easy to say them, now.

With that, she threw herself into his arms, and kissed his stunned face all over, before fusing her mouth to his, showering him with all the pent up love, adoration, and passion that she had been unable to voice directly, until now.

Nobody noticed Alexis carefully picking up her pizza box, and walking quietly towards the stairs up to her room, a smile on her face so wide that her cheeks hurt.

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_Wasn't that sweet? Give sarahlovesA a review!_


	15. Chapter 15

**by JennaBennett:**

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Being together in all senses of the word hasn't changed who they are, how they are. Their dynamic, their foundation – it's still fundamentally the same. They bicker, they argue, they tease and at times it spirals into full fledged fights. Fights that hurt, words that cut, slammed doors, dramatic sighs.

This fight is the worst one yet, it has Beckett gnawing a hole into her bottom lip, a permanent furrow etching itself into her brow. She finds herself alone in the break room, furious and on the cusp of exhaustion. She sees him stride across the bullpen after her, pausing at the break room door, he knocks – which is fair enough after the manner in which she ungraciously slammed it mere minutes ago. She moves to the door, rolls her eyes in expectation of the argument to come, answers it with dramatic flourish (maybe Castle is rubbing off on her more than she consciously realises? The subtle intricacies of intimacy). There's a glower fixed on his face and he levels his gaze at her as she hisses a –

"What the hell, Castle." He slides past her and into the break room, ignoring her sharp tone and standoffish stance. She raises a hand in mock indignation, "oh, do come in," her tone is level, lethal, injected with steel. It sends a clear message, she is not in the mood to be messed with. The combination of her tone and Castle's steady glare indicates that the fight is in the same place it was out in the bullpen. A definite stalemate. No room for compromise.

Someone is going to have to fold and it most certainly is not going to be her. He's the one acting like an idiot. He has no right, no right at all. Just because she's given herself over to him completely doesn't mean he gets to walk all over her life without her permission. This is her – well, their – job on the line. She's only tentatively back in the precinct and she doesn't want to mess it up. A fierce fight with her partner in the bullpen is probably not making the best statement. Mulling it over, she knows the whole argument is completely pointless, but she's in too deep, she staked her claim of righteous anger and she will not be backing down anytime soon. Kate Beckett is not a quitter. The years of obsessing over her mother's case despite insurmountable odds have well and truly proven that.

"You can't stop me, Beckett," his words cut into her thoughts, his voice gruff, the emotions beneath them swelling just below the surface.

"Like hell I can't," her hand finds her hip, indignation clouding her countenance. "You are not going undercover – alone. I don't care if Gates thinks it's a brilliant plan. She isn't the one who'll have to call Alexis and tell her that you're in hospital."

"Beckett," he whines, softening a little. "I'll be safe, it'll be great fun. You let me do it before, that poker game with the Russians in Chinatown. It worked out, right? We got the guy."

"Castle, I had to save your arse completely on that case. You were almost shot," she's clearly not amused, her tone seething.

"Oh, right, maybe not the best example… But really, it'll be fun and I'll be fine," he tries to smile convincingly, it doesn't quite reach his eyes. They both know he doesn't want to do it for the "fun", this case has hit him personally. The man is a monster and he wants to stop him. Anything to do with kids and Castle's need for justice increases exponentially. He has to do this. Gates is giving him a chance. Sure, Beckett's angry now, but it'll work out just fine.

"Go home, Castle," she hedges, her tone softer now.

"No," it's fierce and assured, he's not backing down, not on this.

"God help me, loving you doesn't change anything, you're still as insufferable as ever…" it's the beginnings of a rant, she's furious and the words are spilling from her. She wants to tell him that he never listens to what she says, that he never stays in the car when she specifically orders him to – for his own damn safety.

But she's cut off by the frenzied push of his lips on hers. She kisses him back for a moment – she's only human after all – before pushing him away to meet his eyes, a puzzled expression on her face. "Huh?" is all she can manage before he's kissing her again, lips moving hungrily, reverently against hers. He pulls away for a moment, forehead resting on hers, eyes gleaming.

"You love me?" he chokes out, part question, part statement.

"Duh. Why else do you think I put up with your nonsense?" she smirks, kissing him gently removing the sting from her words and offering him a reassurance of sorts.

"Say it again, then take me home. I think I can sit this one out," he beams at her. Sure, the case is important, but Ryan can do it. He has other plans, plans that involve the woman he loves – the woman who loves him.

She quirks an eyebrow but acquiesces –

"I love you, Castle," her tone has taken on that deep, sultry teasing quality that he loves so very much. She's dazzling, he's finding it increasingly difficult to remember how to breathe. Apparently this is what it feels like when one's wildest dreams come true. She rolls her eyes, tugs on his hand, throws a, "Ryan, you're on point, I'm taking a personal day," over her shoulder as she leads him from the precinct. They make it to the sidewalk before he regains himself, chuckles, glancing at their intertwined hands.

"You know it's fitting really," he begins casually, she shifts her gaze to him, clearly curious. "I told you I loved you whilst we were arguing and now you've done the same. I should've expected it… Oh, I bet the next time we have a massive fight I'll convince you to move in, or even better, you'll tell me you're pregnant! We really should fight more often," he grins, enthusiasm colouring his tone.

"Castle," she warns. "Don't start picking fights with me on purpose. I can assure you, it won't bode well for you…" she trails off – point made. He shakes his head firmly.

"Oh, to the contrary my dear Detective, our history is in my favour, fighting is definitely the way to go," he teases, squeezing her hand lightly in an attempt to add some levity to his words.

"Seriously Castle, I'm not going to argue with you about arguing," she sighs, running the fingers of her free hand through her hair.

"But you already are," he retorts gleefully, his grin widening. "This is great. Let's get back to loft already so we can have hot make-up sex," he adds with a leer. She giggles, hand over her mouth a second too late to stifle it. Hot make-up sex, hey? You know, maybe the man had a point…

"You know what, Castle? If you'd just load the dishwasher logically then I wouldn't have to argue with you about it time and time again." The sound of his jaw dropping open was enough to assure her that he had clearly gotten the intention of her words. They hastened for home, matching grins and clever comebacks carrying them there.

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_Please leave a review for JennaBennett!_


	16. Chapter 16

**By RGoodfellow64**

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They were supposed to meet at the park and after a few last instructions to Ryan, Beckett was finally able to leave the precinct and head out for lunch…almost forty five minutes after the scheduled time.

He'd texted her about forty minutes earlier asking where she was and she'd had to tell him they caught a good lead on the case and she would be a little late, but to not move as she would definitely be there for lunch.

She took her cruiser and finding a parking space, walked to the section of the park where he was waiting. Coming up behind him on the grass, he couldn't hear her heels and so was still engrossed in what he was doing. He was systematically denuding a daisy. She stopped a few feet from him and listened as he carefully pulled each petal off the flower.

"She loves me, she loves me not. She loves me, she loves me not. She loves me, she…" he stopped and looked at the flower with a single petal still on it. He shook his head and threw it at his feet, picked up another daisy from a bouquet he had sitting on the bench next to him and started again. "She loves me, she loves me not. She loves me…"

Beckett smiled and came a little closer, walking as quietly as possible till she was only about a foot away from him, and watched as he methodically pulled each petal off the daisy. One for love and one for not, till he came to the last, when he shook his head again and threw the flower with only one petal still on it to the ground in front of him.

Beckett looked over his shoulder, saw how many he had there, and was shocked. He must have purchased more than one bouquet of daisies as there looked to be over two dozen on the ground at his feet.

He was reaching for another when she walked around the bench and sat down beside him. "Been keeping yourself busy, have you?" she asked.

Looking up, with both a happy and surprised look on his face, Castle could only say, "Huh?"

With a sly smile on her face, Kate took the daisy out of his hand and put it back on the bench, and then she picked up all the ones at his feet, noticing that the arrangement in her hand looked strange, large black dots with only one petal on each.

She turned towards him on the bench, gave him a sultry smile, and started pulling the last petals off every flower. As she did she said, "She loves him, she loves him, she loves him, she loves him…"

His eyes widened with joy and hers did the same, with a smile that in his eyes was brighter than the afternoon sun as she continued to take the last petal off each flower and say, "She loves him."

As he listened to her tell him over and over again he couldn't help but think, 'Best. Lunch. Ever!'

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_Aaawwwww! Wasn't that great? Please leave a review for RG!_


	17. Chapter 17

******By RGoodfellow64:**

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"Ok, I'm here, now tell me exactly what did you see?"

"I stopped to get you that Italian Ice you wanted and that's when I saw them."

"Wait a minute, Italian Ice? You didn't tell me you went for an Italian Ice!"

"Ryan, keep quiet, let him talk. Go ahead Javi, do you mean Beckett and Castle?"

"Thanks Lanie, yeah, that's who I saw," Esposito said at the same time Ryan mumbled, "_I_ wouldn't have minded an Italian Ice."

"Ryan!"

"Anyways I just got your ice when I saw them on a park bench, eating lunch," Esposito said just as Ryan interrupted and asked, "Did they also have an Italian Ice?"

"Ryan! How acquainted do you want to become with my morgue?"

"Bro, we'll go get you an Italian Ice when we're done. Enough already, ok?"

Mollified, Ryan grudgingly said, "Ok," just as Lanie was about to yell at him again. Giving him one last look to keep quiet that reminded him of no caffeine Beckett, Lanie turned from Ryan back to Esposito and said, "You said you saw them eating lunch?"

"Yeah, they were eating hotdogs and were practically sitting on top of each other."

A big grin appeared on Lanie's face, and even Ryan had to smile at the picture Esposito's words painted. Beckett and Castle finally, _finally_ together.

"Ok, and what else?" Lanie asked.

"Well there was a lot of Beckett actually…"

"Actually what?"

"Well, you really won't believe this, but she was giggling…"

"Giggling? My girl was giggling?" Lanie squealed.

Grinning, Esposito said, "Oh yeah, and not only that, they each took a bite of the others hotdog and Beckett had to help Castle and wipe his mouth with her napkin."

Ryan had a big smile and Lanie could hardly sit still from the excitement. "Feeding each other? Now that is just too damn cute!" she said with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"A little too much for me," Esposito said but soon gulped and quickly got on with the story after seeing the look in Lanie's eyes. "They finished their hotdogs and Castle…"

"Wait a minute," Ryan asked, "What happened to Lanie's Italian Ice?"

"Uh, it was melting so I ate it," Esposito said at the same time Lanie yelled, "Ryan!"

"Ok, ok. Go ahead Esposito; you were eating Lanie's Italian Ice."

Esposito glared at Ryan and said, "No, I was watching Beckett and Castle without them seeing me."

"So did anything else happen or can we go get my Ice now?" Ryan asked.

"Ryan you open your mouth again I will show you an autopsy real close up!" Lanie growled. Then turning back to Esposito asked, "What else happened?"

"Castle asked if she wanted an ice cream and she said yes, so he took their trash and before getting up turned to his side and picked up a Daisy."

"A Daisy?" Lanie asked.

"A Daisy," Esposito said.

"And just what did he do with the Daisy, Javi?" Lanie asked with some frustration at how long it was taking to get the whole story out.

"Geez Lanie, I'm trying here but everyone keeps interrupting me!"

"Javier Esposito, I'll have the two of you on my table if you don't hurry up!"

Shaking his head, Esposito said, "He handed it to her with a smile and then he asked 'one more time?'"

"And…"

"And she took it with a smile like I've never seen on her before, I swear Lanie her whole face lit up like a giant light bulb!"

"And then what happened?"

"This is the part that I couldn't believe so I recorded it on my phone."

"Javier Esposito! Don't tell me you have a video of this whole thing and you've been making me sit here all this time while you dragged out the story!"

"No Lanie, I only got the last part," he fiddled with his phone and then holding it up to her said, "Here, look for yourself."

Lanie watched as Kate took the Daisy from Castle's hand and smiled. Lanie was thrilled, she'd never seen Kate smile like that for anyone before, ever! The sound wasn't very good but she was able to make out Kate when she started to pull off each petal and say, "She loves him, she loves him…" and she kept saying those two lines with each petal till they were all pulled off but one. Then pulling the last one off she said, "I love you very much Rick."

The video stopped and Lanie gave a big, happy sigh, then handed the phone back to Esposito. "I want a copy of that sent to me as soon as possible, that has got to be the most romantic thing I have ever…"

She stopped when Ryan touched her arm and motioned out the break room door to the bullpen. Beckett and Castle had just come in. They were finishing their ice cream cones, and as Castle offered to take their napkins to the trash, Beckett put out her hand and wiped off a little ice cream from the side of his mouth. With a smile, she licked it off her finger and then sat down at her desk.

A huge smile came on Castle's face as he sat next to her. Lanie watched as Kate pulled out a report, Castle pulled out his phone, and soon they were doing what they did every day. Kate worked and Castle watched her.

With a dreamy smile on her face, Lanie turned to Esposito and said, "Those two make the _best_ fluff!"  


* * *

_Please review! Wasn't that an adorable take on the previous chapter?_


	18. Chapter 18

******By RGoodfellow64:**

* * *

"Ok, I'm here, now tell me exactly what did you see?"

"I stopped to get you that Italian Ice you wanted and that's when I saw them."

"Wait a minute, Italian Ice? You didn't tell me you went for an Italian Ice!"

"Ryan, keep quiet, let him talk. Go ahead Javi, do you mean Beckett and Castle?"

"Thanks Lanie, yeah, that's who I saw," Esposito said at the same time Ryan mumbled, "_I_ wouldn't have minded an Italian Ice."

"Ryan!"

"Anyways I just got your ice when I saw them on a park bench, eating lunch," Esposito said just as Ryan interrupted and asked, "Did they also have an Italian Ice?"

"Ryan! How acquainted do you want to become with my morgue?"

"Bro, we'll go get you an Italian Ice when we're done. Enough already, ok?"

Mollified, Ryan grudgingly said, "Ok," just as Lanie was about to yell at him again. Giving him one last look to keep quiet that reminded him of no caffeine Beckett, Lanie turned from Ryan back to Esposito and said, "You said you saw them eating lunch?"

"Yeah, they were eating hotdogs and were practically sitting on top of each other."

A big grin appeared on Lanie's face, and even Ryan had to smile at the picture Esposito's words painted. Beckett and Castle finally, _finally_ together.

"Ok, and what else?" Lanie asked.

"Well there was a lot of Beckett actually…"

"Actually what?"

"Well, you really won't believe this, but she was giggling…"

"Giggling? My girl was giggling?" Lanie squealed.

Grinning, Esposito said, "Oh yeah, and not only that, they each took a bite of the others hotdog and Beckett had to help Castle and wipe his mouth with her napkin."

Ryan had a big smile and Lanie could hardly sit still from the excitement. "Feeding each other? Now that is just too damn cute!" she said with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"A little too much for me," Esposito said but soon gulped and quickly got on with the story after seeing the look in Lanie's eyes. "They finished their hotdogs and Castle…"

"Wait a minute," Ryan asked, "What happened to Lanie's Italian Ice?"

"Uh, it was melting so I ate it," Esposito said at the same time Lanie yelled, "Ryan!"

"Ok, ok. Go ahead Esposito; you were eating Lanie's Italian Ice."

Esposito glared at Ryan and said, "No, I was watching Beckett and Castle without them seeing me."

"So did anything else happen or can we go get my Ice now?" Ryan asked.

"Ryan you open your mouth again I will show you an autopsy real close up!" Lanie growled. Then turning back to Esposito asked, "What else happened?"

"Castle asked if she wanted an ice cream and she said yes, so he took their trash and before getting up turned to his side and picked up a Daisy."

"A Daisy?" Lanie asked.

"A Daisy," Esposito said.

"And just what did he do with the Daisy, Javi?" Lanie asked with some frustration at how long it was taking to get the whole story out.

"Geez Lanie, I'm trying here but everyone keeps interrupting me!"

"Javier Esposito, I'll have the two of you on my table if you don't hurry up!"

Shaking his head, Esposito said, "He handed it to her with a smile and then he asked 'one more time?'"

"And…"

"And she took it with a smile like I've never seen on her before, I swear Lanie her whole face lit up like a giant light bulb!"

"And then what happened?"

"This is the part that I couldn't believe so I recorded it on my phone."

"Javier Esposito! Don't tell me you have a video of this whole thing and you've been making me sit here all this time while you dragged out the story!"

"No Lanie, I only got the last part," he fiddled with his phone and then holding it up to her said, "Here, look for yourself."

Lanie watched as Kate took the Daisy from Castle's hand and smiled. Lanie was thrilled, she'd never seen Kate smile like that for anyone before, ever! The sound wasn't very good but she was able to make out Kate when she started to pull off each petal and say, "She loves him, she loves him…" and she kept saying those two lines with each petal till they were all pulled off but one. Then pulling the last one off she said, "I love you very much Rick."

The video stopped and Lanie gave a big, happy sigh, then handed the phone back to Esposito. "I want a copy of that sent to me as soon as possible, that has got to be the most romantic thing I have ever…"

She stopped when Ryan touched her arm and motioned out the break room door to the bullpen. Beckett and Castle had just come in. They were finishing their ice cream cones, and as Castle offered to take their napkins to the trash, Beckett put out her hand and wiped off a little ice cream from the side of his mouth. With a smile, she licked it off her finger and then sat down at her desk.

A huge smile came on Castle's face as he sat next to her. Lanie watched as Kate pulled out a report, Castle pulled out his phone, and soon they were doing what they did every day. Kate worked and Castle watched her.

With a dreamy smile on her face, Lanie turned to Esposito and said, "Those two make the _best_ fluff!"  


* * *

_Please review! Wasn't that an adorable take on the previous chapter?_


End file.
